This term is
frequently used to express a phenomenon of the sensibility. When
thus used, it designates a calm and unruffled state of the
sensibility or feelings, under circumstances that tend to excite
anger or impatience of feeling. The calmness of the sensibility,
or patience as a phenomenon of the sensibility, is purely an
involuntary state of mind, and although it is a pleasing and
amiable manifestation, yet it is not properly virtue. It may be,
and often is, an effect of patience as a phenomenon of the will,
and therefore an effect of virtue. But it is not itself virtue.
This amiable temper, may and often does, proceed from
constitutional temperament, and from circumstances and
habits.

Patience as a
virtue must be a voluntary state of mind. It must be an attribute
of love or benevolence; for all virtue, as we have seen, and as
the Bible teaches, is resolvable into love or benevolence. The
Greek term, upomone, so often rendered patience in the New
Testament, means perseverance under trials, continuance, bearing
up under afflictions or privations, steadfastness of purpose in
despite of obstacles. The word may be used in a good or in a bad
sense. Thus a selfish man may patiently, that is, perseveringly
pursue his end, and may bear up under much opposition to his
course.

This is
patience as an attribute of selfishness, and patience in a bad
sense of the term. Patience in the good sense, or in the sense in
which I am considering it, is an attribute of benevolence. It is
the quality of constancy, a fixedness, a bearing up under trials,
afflictions, crosses, persecutions, or discouragements. This must
be an attribute of benevolence. Whenever patience ceases, when it
holds out no longer, when discouragement prevails, and the will
relinquishes its end, benevolence ceases, as a matter of
course.

Patience as a
phenomenon of the will, tends to patience as a phenomenon of the
sensibility. That is, the quality of fixedness and steadfastness
in the intention naturally tends to keep down and allay impatience
of temper. As, however, the states of the sensibility are not
directly under the control of the will, there may be irritable or
impatient feelings, when the heart remains steadfast. Facts or
falsehoods may be suggested to the mind which may, in despite of
the will, produce a ruffling of the sensibility, even when the
heart remains patient. The only way in which a temptation, for it
is only a temptation while the will abides firm to its purpose, I
say, the only way in which a temptation of this kind can be
disposed of, is by diverting the attention from that view of the
subject that creates the disturbance in the sensibility. I should
have said before, that although the will controls the feelings by
a law of necessity, yet, as it does not do so directly, but
indirectly, it may and does often happen, that feelings
corresponding to the state of the will do not exist in the
sensibility. Nay, for a time, a state of the sensibility may exist
which is the opposite of the state of the will. From this source
arise many, and indeed most, of our temptations. We could never be
properly tried or tempted at all, if the feelings must always, by
a law of necessity, correspond with the state of the will. Sin
consists in willing to gratify our feelings or constitutional
impulses, in opposition to the law of our reason. But if these
desires and impulses could never exist in opposition to the law of
reason, and, consequently, in opposition to a present holy choice,
then a holy being could not be tempted. He could have no motive or
occasion to sin. If our mother Eve could have had no feelings of
desire in opposition to the state of her will, she never could
have desired the forbidden fruit, and of course would not have
sinned. I wish now, then, to state distinctly what I should have
said before, that the state or choice of the will does not
necessarily so control the feelings, desires, or emotions, that
these may never be strongly excited by Satan or by circumstances,
in opposition to the will, and thus become powerful temptations to
seek their gratification, instead of seeking the highest good of
being. Feelings, the gratification of which would be opposed to
every attribute of benevolence, may at times co-exist with
benevolence, and be a temptation to selfishness; but opposing acts
of will cannot co-exist with benevolence. All that can be truly
said is, that as the will has an indirect control of the feelings,
desires, appetites, passions, &c., it can suppress any class
of feelings when they arise, by diverting the attention from their
causes, or by taking into consideration such views and facts as
will calm or change the state of the sensibility. Irritable
feelings, or what is commonly called impatience, may be directly
caused by ill health, irritable nerves, and by many things over
which the will has no direct control. But this is not impatience
in the sense of sin. If these feelings are not suffered to
influence the will; if the will abides in patience; if such
feelings are not cherished, and are not suffered to shake the
integrity of the will; they are not sin. That is, the will does
not consent to them, but the contrary. They are only temptations.
If they are allowed to control the will, to break forth in words
and actions, then there is sin; but the sin does not consist in
the feelings, but in the consent of the will, to gratify them.
Thus, the apostle says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun
go down upon your wrath." That is, if anger arise in the feelings
and sensibility, do not sin by suffering it to control your will.
Do not cherish the feeling, and let not the sun go down upon it.
For this cherishing it is sin. When it is cherished, the will
consents and broods over the cause of it; this is sin. But if it
be not cherished, it is not sin.

That the
outward actions will correspond with the states and actions of the
will, provided no physical obstacle be opposed to them, is a
universal truth. But that feelings and desires cannot exist
contrary to the states or decisions of my will, is not true. If
this were a universal truth, temptation, as I have said, could not
exist. The outward actions will be as the will is, always; the
feelings generally. Feelings corresponding to the choice of the
will, will be the rule, and opposing feelings the exception. But
these exceptions may and do exist in perfectly holy beings. They
existed in Eve before she consented to sin, and had she resisted
them, she had not sinned. They doubtless existed in Christ, or he
could not have been tempted in all points like as we are. If there
be no desires or impulses of the sensibility contrary to the state
of the will, there is not properly any temptation. The desire or
impulse must appear on the field of consciousness before it is a
motive to action, and of course before it is a temptation to
self-indulgence. Just as certainly then as a holy being may be
tempted, and not sin, just so certain it is that emotions of any
kind, or of any strength, may exist in the sensibility without
sin. If they are not indulged, if the will does not consent to
them, and to their indulgence or gratification, the soul is not
the less virtuous for their presence. Patience as a phenomenon of
the will must strengthen and gird itself under such circumstances,
so that patience of will may be, and if it exist at all, must be,
in exact proportion to the impatience of the sensibility. The more
impatience of sensibility there is, the more patience of will
there must be, or virtue will cease altogether. So that it is not
always true, that virtue is strongest when the sensibility is most
calm, placid, and patient. When Christ passed through his greatest
conflicts, his virtue as a man was undoubtedly most intense. When
in his agony in the garden, so great was the anguish of his
sensibility, that he sweat as it were great drops of blood. This,
he says, was the hour of the prince of darkness. This was his
great trial. But did he sin? No, indeed. But why? Was he calm and
placid as a summer's evening? As far from it as
possible.

Patience,
then, as an attribute of benevolence, consists, not in placid
feeling, but in perseverance under trials and states of the
sensibility that tend to selfishness. This is only benevolence
viewed in a certain aspect. It is benevolence under circumstances
of discouragement, of trial, or temptation. "This is the patience
of the saints."

Before
dismissing the subject of patience as an emotion, I would observe
that, the steadfastness of the heart tends so strongly to secure
patience, that if an opposite state of the sensibility is more
than of momentary duration, there is strong presumption that the
heart is not steadfast in love. The first risings of it will
produce an immediate effort to suppress it. If it continues, this
is evidence that the attention is allowed to dwell upon the cause
of it. This shows that the will is in some sense indulging
it.

If it so far
influences the will as to manifest itself in impatient words and
actions, there must be a yielding of the will. Patience, as an
attribute of benevolence is overcome. If the sensibility were
perfectly and directly under the control of the will, the least
degree of impatience would imply sin. But as it is not directly,
but indirectly under the control of the will, momentary impatience
of feeling, when it does not at all influence the will, and when
it is not at all indulged, is not sure evidence of a sinful state
of the will. It should always be borne in mind, that neither
patience nor impatience, in the form of mere feeling, existing for
any length of time, and in any degree, is in itself either holy on
the one hand, or sinful on the other. All that can be said of
these states of the sensibility is, that they indicate, as a
general thing, the attitude of the will. When the will is for a
long time steadfast in its patience, the result is great
equanimity of temper, and great patience of feeling. This comes to
be a law of the sensibility, insomuch that very advanced saints
may, and doubtless do, experience the most entire patience of
feeling for many years together. This does not constitute their
holiness, but is a sweet fruit of it. It is to be regarded rather
in the light of a reward of holiness, than as holiness
itself.

18. Another
attribute of benevolence is Meekness.

Meekness,
considered as a virtue, is a phenomenon of the will. This term
also expresses a state of the sensibility. When used to designate
a phenomenon of the sensibility, it is nearly synonymous with
patience. It designates a sweet and forbearing temper under
provocation. Meekness, a phenomenon of the will, and as an
attribute of benevolence, is the opposite both of resistance to
injury and of retaliation. It is properly and strictly forbearance
under injurious treatment. This certainly is an attribute of God,
as our existence and our being out of hell plainly demonstrate.
Christ said of himself that he was "meek and lowly in heart;" and
this surely was no vain boast. How admirably, and how incessantly
did this attribute of his love manifest itself! The fifty-third
chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy exhibiting this attribute in a
most affecting light. Indeed, scarcely any feature of the
character of God and of Christ is more strikingly exhibited than
this. It must evidently be an attribute of benevolence.
Benevolence is good-will to all beings. We are naturally
forbearing toward those whose good we honestly and diligently
seek. If our hearts are set upon doing them good, we shall
naturally exercise great forbearance toward them. God has greatly
commended his forbearance to us, in that, while we were yet his
enemies, he forbore to punish us, and gave his Son to die for us.
Forbearance is a sweet and amiable attribute. How affectingly it
displayed itself in the hall of Pilate, and on the cross. "He is
led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers
is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

This
attribute has in this world abundant opportunity to develope and
display itself in the saints. There are daily occasions for the
exercise of this form of virtue. Indeed, all the attributes of
benevolence are called into frequent exercise in this school of
discipline. This is indeed a suitable world in which to train
God's children, to develope and strengthen every modification of
holiness. This attribute must always appear where benevolence
exists, and wherever there is an occasion for its
exercise.

It is
delightful to contemplate the perfection and glory of that love
which constitutes obedience to the law of God. As occasions arise,
we behold it developing one attribute after another, and there may
be many of its attributes and modifications of which we have as
yet no idea whatever. Circumstances will call them into exercise.
It is probable, if not certain, that the attributes of benevolence
were very imperfectly known in heaven previous to the existence of
sin in the universe, and that but for sin many of these attributes
would never have been manifested in exercise. But the existence of
sin, great as the evil is, has afforded an opportunity for
benevolence to manifest its beautiful phases, and to develope its
sweet attributes in a most enchanting manner. Thus the divine
economy of benevolence brings good out of so great an
evil.

A hasty and
unforbearing spirit is always demonstrative evidence of a want of
benevolence, or true religion. Meekness is, and must be, a
peculiar characteristic of the saints in this world, where there
is so much provocation. Christ frequently and strongly enforced
the obligation to forbearance. "But I say unto you that ye resist
not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn
to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law,
and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever
shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." How
beautiful!

19.
Long-suffering is another attribute of benevolence.

This
attribute is hardly distinguishable from meekness or forbearance.
It seems to be an intense form of forbearance; or it is
forbearance exercised long and under great suffering from
persecution and unreasonable opposition. God's forbearance is
lengthened out to long-suffering. Christ's forbearance, also, was
and is often put to the severest trial, and is lengthened out to
most affecting long-suffering. This is an intense state or form of
benevolence, when it is most sorely tried, and, as it were, put
upon the rack. The prophets, and Christ, and the apostles, the
martyrs, and primitive saints, and many in different ages of the
church, have given forth a glorious specimen and illustration of
this sweet attribute of love. But for the existence of sin,
however, it is probable and perhaps certain, that no being but God
could have had an idea of its existence. The same, no doubt, may
be said of many of the attributes of divine love. God has intended
to exhibit strongly this attribute in himself, and in all his
saints and angels. The introduction of sin, excuseless and
abominable as it is, has given occasion for a most thorough
developement, and a most affecting manifestation of this attribute
of love. It is a sweet, a heavenly attribute. It is most opposite
to the spirit and maxims of this world. It is the very contrast of
the law and the spirit of honour, as it appears in this world. The
law of honour says, If you receive an injury or an insult, resent
it sharply, and retaliate it fully. This gentle spirit says, If
you receive many insults and injuries, do not resent them, nor
retaliate, but bear and forbear even to long-suffering. "If thine
enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink."

20.
Humility is another modification or attribute of love.

This term
seems often to be used to express a sense of unworthiness, of
guilt, of ignorance, and of nothingness, to express a feeling of
ill-desert. It seems to be used in common language to express
sometimes a state of the intelligence, when it seems to indicate a
clear perception of our guilt. When used to designate a state of
the sensibility, it represents those feelings of shame and
unworthiness, of ignorance, and of nothingness, of which those are
most deeply conscious who have been enlightened by the Holy
Spirit, in respect to their true character.

But as a
phenomenon of the will, and as an attribute of love, it consists
in a willingness to be known and appreciated according to our real
character. Humility, as a phenomenon either of the sensibility or
of the intelligence, may co-exist with great pride of heart. Pride
is a disposition to exalt self, to get above others, to hide our
defects, and to pass for more than we are. Deep conviction of sin,
and deep feelings of shame, of ignorance, and of desert of hell,
may co-exist with a great unwillingness to confess and be known
just as we are, and to be appreciated just according to what our
real character has been and is. There is no virtue in such
humility. But humility, considered as a virtue, consists in the
consent of the will to be known, to confess, and to take our
proper place in the scale of being. It is that peculiarity of love
that wills the good of being so disinterestedly, as to will to
pass for no other than we really are. This is an honest, a sweet,
and amiable feature of love. It must perhaps, be peculiar to those
who have sinned. It is only love acting under or in a certain
relation, or in reference to a peculiar set of circumstances. It
would, under the same circumstances, develope and manifest itself
in all truly benevolent minds. This attribute will render
confession of sin to God and man natural, and even make it a
luxury. It is easy to see that, but for this attribute, the saints
could not be happy in heaven. God has promised to bring into
judgment every work and every secret thing, whether it be good, or
whether it be evil. Now while pride exists, it would greatly pain
the soul to have all the character known. So that, unless this
attribute really belongs to the saints, they would be ashamed at
the judgment, and filled with confusion even in heaven itself. But
this sweet attribute will secure them against that shame and
confusion of face that would otherwise render heaven itself a hell
to them. They will be perfectly willing and happy to be known and
estimated according to their characters. This attribute will
secure in all the saints on earth that confession of faults one to
another, which is so often enjoined in the Bible. By this it is
not intended, that Christians always think it wise and necessary
to make confession of all their secret sins to man. But it is
intended, that they will confess to those whom they have injured,
and to all to whom benevolence demands that they should confess.
This attribute secures its possessor against spiritual pride,
against ambition to get above others. It is a modest and
unassuming state of mind.

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